Answered By: Adam Sexton

Last Updated: Aug 02, 2017Views: 119

Non-USC faculty may borrow books from the USC Libraries, but they must set up a library account first.

USC offers free borrowing privileges for faculty members from the OCLC and SCELC networks.

We also offer discounted borrowing privileges for faculty members from nearby schools that extend the same reciprocal privileges to USC faculty. These lists are kept at the Doheny Memorial Library circulation desk (213-740-2924), and you may consult with Doheny staff to see if you qualify.

If you are a faculty member from a school not covered by either of these agreements, you have three further options:

1.) You can pay for a community-user card, which will allow you to check out books from any of the libraries on-campus (except for the Law and Dental libraries). The cost of this card is $125 for six months of privilege, and you must have documentation that shows a current residence in Southern California.

2.) You can make a donation to the Friends of the USC Libraries fund. A $100 donation will give you a full years-worth of privilege. Please inquire about these forms at the Doheny circulation desk, and please note that these cannot be created immediately. Total processing time could take a few weeks.

3.) You can speak with a department on-campus to see if they will sponsor you as an authorized guest. Departments determine who they will and will not sponsor, and this process is executed through a system outside of the libraries.

Please note that you may only receive off-campus access to electronic resources through the third option. You will not receive electronic access if you have to pay for a library card.